Q.Please help me diagnose cucumber leaf yellowing and fruits dying.
First time gardener, and doing it in buckets. Planted in 1/2 compost and 1/2 potting soil with fertilizer. Added 1T epsom salts about 1 month ago. My cucumber plant was doing great (got 2 nice fruits) then suddenly leaves started yellowing and baby fruits shriveled (after hand pollination). I tried researching but feel it was inconclusive. I suspect mosaic virus, but just not sure. I’m in zone 7; it has been really hot lately and I read that excessive heat can cause problems. I hope I gave enough info… any ideas?
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
My best guess is bacterial blight. This can happen when too much water accumulates in the container, or if there are no drain holes to allow all extra water out.
Treatment of these diseases can be tricky but mainly include disposing of affected growth and using clean shears.
I could also recommend treating the area with DOLOMITIC LIME and WETTABLE SULFUR. This can give it a leg up on recovery.
This article will offer some useful information: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/cucumber/treating-leaf-spot-on-cucumbers.htm
